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Justice News

Akron Man Indicted For Heroin Distribution

A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging an Akron man with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Willie L. Sanders, Jr., age 27, is accused of possessing appoximately 27.9 grams of heroin on March 21, 2013, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Akron Police Department Street Narcotics Uniformed Detail (SNUD), and the Summit County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel A. Yannucci.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.